Cork ace O’Sullivan calls a halt to inter-county career

CORK’S Ciarán O’Sullivan has announced his retirement from inter-county football after a career that spanned 12 years.

Regarded as one of the best wing-backs in the game, the Urhan man made his senior debut as a wing-forward against Kildare in the 1992 National League and has been ever-present on the team since.

Living in the Beara pensinula, O’Sullivan faced a 200 mile round trip to training a couple of nights a week in pursuit of his All-Ireland dream, but Derry (1993) and Meath (99), spoiled the party.

Ciarán won an All-Ireland Vocational Schools medal with Coláiste Ghobnatain, Ballyvourney in 1988, a junior All-Ireland in 1990, five Munster senior medals, a Railway Cup medal, and an Allstar award in 1999.

“I’ve had a tremendous innings and it’s time to call a halt,” said O’Sullivan.

“Unfortunately I didn’t win a senior All-Ireland medal I so badly wanted to do, but there are hundreds of top-class players who haven’t either.

“It’s been a wonderful experience and despite the amount of travelling, I’ve enjoyed every minute.

“The friendships I’ve made, and the memories I have, I will cherish forever.

“I played in two senior All-Ireland finals, 1993 and 1999, but felt the latter was the one we should really have won.”